Electable vs. Marketable. It’s easy to get the two confused, but if you do, you’ll probably regret it.

To be marketable, you must be remarkable. Marketing isn’t about getting more than 50% market share, it’s about spreading your idea to enough people to be glad you did it… 3% of a market may be more than enough, especially if you have a local business or an expensive service.

Or a nonprofit, I’d add.

People in our sector (myself included at times in my life, unfortunately) often try to get more donors by doing mass outreach that isn’t very targeted. That’s trying to get big, “get elected” numbers.

Try instead to get a committed, marketable base of passionate donors by focusing on likely supporters who already care about your issue - they are out on there on blogs, in support groups, at special events, etc. Then, and more important, make sure you are dutifully cultivating that market. You are creating an ever-widening circle of supporters through your marketing work every day—don’t forget to tend to them! How many times did you thank them? Have you told them the difference they are making? Have you asked them to tell their friends and family about you? Have you asked them to convince others and advocate for your issue? That’s thinking marketing campaign, not election campaign.